Speak Now
by BarbMacK
Summary: Nothing like a wedding to bring out all the memories of their pasts. Will Rose and the Doctor ever be able to tell each other everything that happened while they were apart? A conglomeration of all my unposted fics.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys. Yes I know Marsian Colds is long overdue for an update (and that's just on the DW front!!) but...well this started as a one-off wedding story...then some prequel story jumped in my head...and then a couple of other one-offs wanted in on the action...and then a couple of longer fics that I'd written and hadn't yet posted wanted to join the bandwagon...and suddenly I had a very...well interesting fic in the making...**

**So with that in mind, a word of warning – if you don't like movies like Memento, Fight Club, Twelve Monkeys, Total Recall and the like, then you probably won't enjoy this fic (and if you can find the connection between those four first glance, I'd be impressed ;))**

**Also a HUGE thanks to my lovely beta for this fic, the FANTASTIC writer Becks, you are a total legend!! And if you've come across this fic without reading any of hers then the world is slightly squiff and you should bugger off to read 'rosie-bec's' stuff right now!!...or possibly read this first, write a review, and then go off and read her stuff...**

**Anyway enough babbling on and on with the fic. This first part is quite short, but futuer ones will be longer. Oh and just cos it is Christmas, look out for daily reviews at least for a few days ;) And without, enjoy!!**

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, pulling the tuxedo jacket lapels. Okay so maybe they were right, the tuxedo didn't look half bad. I'd go as far as to say I looked pretty good.

"Please tell me you won't be wearing the plimsols for the ceremony," Mickey asked as he looked at me through the mirror.

I looked down at the red converse trainers that I almost always wore. "What's wrong with them?" I asked, looking back up at him.

He cracked a grin as he shook his head. "You do know how weddings are meant to go right?"

I just glared at him.

"Okay, okay," he said holding his hands up in surrender.

Running my hand through my hair, I gave one last glance into the mirror before heading out the door knowing Mickey wouldn't be far behind me. I couldn't help the smile that crossed my face at the sight that met me. Rose Tyler, defender of the Earth. It was fantastic to finally have her back and she looked stunning in that dress.

Looking up, she gave me a smile, poking her tongue between her teeth just a little. As I walked towards her, she looked around at Martha and Mickey before turning back to me, leaning in as though what she had to say was top secret and whispering, "Isn't it unlucky for the groom to see the bride on the wedding day?"

"Since when have you ever followed the rules?" I asked her, frowning as though it were unheard of.

"Oy!" she replied, sounding offended as she smacked my arm, though her cheeky grin let me know she couldn't really say I was wrong. "You still haven't told me all the trouble you got into without me."

"You make it sound as though I go looking for trouble!"

She raised one brow. "You trying to say you don't?" she asked.

"No...it just...happens to find me along the way," I replied, rubbing the back of my neck. When I saw she was about to make further comment, I quickly looked at my watch. "Is it that time already? Mickety Mick Mick, time we got this show on the road!" I called out to Mickey, grabbing him by the arm and heading for the doors into the main chapel. "See you soon," I told Rose with a smile and a wink, my smile broadening as she laughed.

SNSNS

My earlier enthusiasm was very short lived as the reality of what I'd let myself in for became apparent. I hated being at this pompous wedding. I mean why do we have to have this tedious ceremony in an overbearing church? It almost makes me wish there was an alien attack just to speed up the proceedings.

I looked over at Rose, catching her eye after a moment. She smiled and raised her eyes heavenwards ever so slightly, and I smile back – she's just as bored as I am. As she returns her gaze to the minister, I continue watching her. Rose Tyler, defender of the Earth, well I say Earth, the universe is more likely. I can't help but try work out exactly how long we were apart.

And then I notice her glance at Martha, scrunching her nose ever so slightly before looking away again. I know she doesn't like her and probably never will, though at least she's able to act civilly around her, which is a bit more than can be said for Martha. Who knows, maybe in time they'll build a bridge over the chasm that's formed between them. Problem is, old habits die hard and that chasm was created the very first moment met.


	2. Christmas Eve

**Hey all, hope you had a merry Christmas and a fantastic new year. Okay the whole point of posting the first part of this story when I did was cos this part was meant to go up on Christmas Eve (when it's set)...but then RL got in the way so only getting to it now :( But if you could just pretend it's Christmas Eve while reading this, that'd be fab...oh and this one's set towards end of 'Last of the Time Lords' just after the Master's 'burial' and assumes that it's Christmas Eve in London (where Martha's family have already been dropped off). Anyway, enjoy!!**

"Look I've already sorted it with mum _and_ dad, so just make sure you're there alright? I've gotta go!" Martha snapped her phone shut not caring that her sister would throttle her for it later as she walked back into the control room. "Right, Christmas lunch is all sorted for tomorrow, have we landed in Cardiff?"

The Doctor looked up from the monitor guiltily. "No...well yes but not the right time yet. Just a quick stop I needed to make first," he rambled, clamping his mouth shut as he realised he was doing it.

Martha raised a brow with a smile. "We're not so low on fuel that you had to land at the first Cardiff you could get your hands on are we?" she asked teasingly.

"What? No," he replied rather insulted by the thought. "Just a quick errand I need to run. If Jack decides to resurface while I'm gone...just keep him occupied," he told her as he pulled on his coat.

She frowned at him. "You don't want us to come along?"

"Na, shouldn't be long," he answered, making his way to the door.

"But what if there's trouble?"

He sighed, turning back to face her from the now open door. "Then just this once, I'll trust someone else to take care of it," he replied. "Now stay here alright? No wandering off, and that goes double for the Captain!" he told her, pointing a stern finger at her before dashing out the door, snapping it shut behind him leaving Martha standing staring at it, the frown stuck on her face.

Which is exactly how Jack found her twenty minutes later. He walked up beside her, turned to the door, then looked back at her. Leaning in so his lips were mere millimeters away from her ear he whispered, "It's a door."

She turned to glare at him, jumping when she realised how close he was.

Jack couldn't help but chuckle, wondering if she was really blushing or if he was only imagining it. "So where's Doc hiding?" he asked, noting the oddly quiet underbelly of the control room.

"Gone out," she replied, turning her attention back to the door as she fought to ignore the tingles running down her spine at his proximity. "Thought you were sleeping," she added, glancing over her shoulder at him.

"Na, just taking a shower," he replied, frowning at the door himself now.

She raised both brows. "You were gone for over an hour!"

"How many times did you get killed today?" he asked, giving her a quizzical look. He smiled as she looked at her feet. "Exactly. I think I deserved an extra long one. That and half the time was playing hide and seek with the Tardis."

"Hide and seek---"

"She took it upon herself to let me see the bathroom in the distance then change it's location just before I got to it," he replied, glaring at the controls at what could only be described as the Tardis purring could be heard. "So where's the Doctor gone anyway? I thought we were heading back to Cardiff once he'd..." Jack trailed off, the actions the Master had done still too close to home for him to accept the Doctor going to the trouble of giving him a proper burial.

"Oh, we're in Cardiff," Martha replied.

Jack looked at her before racing to the door. "Why didn't you say?" he asked, suddenly excited about seeing his old team, one member more so than the others.

"Well 'cause apparently we're not in the right Cardiff," she replied running after him to look over his shoulder. "Looks old. When do you reckon it is?"

"1869," Jack replied, his face grave.

She glared at him. "Where's the sign?"

"What sign?"

"The one saying the year. Don't think I believe for a second that you can tell what year it is just by looking."

Jack would have smiled if it had been almost any other time. "Not by looking, by smelling," he replied, a trace of a smile tugging at his lips at her disbelieving look. "Oh believe me, when you land a couple hundred years short of where you planned, you tend to remember what that first year smelt like."

"Sorry...I forgot," she replied, looking at her feet once again.

He gave her a small smile. "It's okay. The question is why're we here?"

"Don't know. The Doctor just said he had an errand to run or something."

"An errand? Who has errands in 1869? And what if there's trouble?" he replied.

Martha smiled. "That's exactly what I said!"

"And?"

"And what?" she asked frowning.

Jack sighed. "What did he say?"

"Oh right. He just said that just this once he'll trust someone else to take care of it and to stay here and no wandering off."

A deep frown crossed the Captain's face. "He doesn't trust anyone when it comes to..." trailing off, he slapped his hand to his forehead before dashing out into the snow.

"What is it?" she asked, making to follow him.

He quickly turned to face her. "I forgot too. Stay here and no wandering off!" he told her before dashing off.

Martha scowled at the retreating figure before finally turning back into the Tardis and slamming the door shut behind her, ignoring the indignant beeps from the Tardis. "Bet they never told _**Rose**_ not to go wandering off," she grumbled as she flopped into a chair.

Meanwhile down a completely ordinary alley, the Doctor sat on a box hidden slightly out of view by slightly larger boxes. Well, when he said completely it was more like mostly ordinary because most of the things in the alley you'd expect to see in an alley. But of course there was one very obvious thing that you wouldn't expect to see in this particular alley. But then if you weren't expecting to see it, you wouldn't. The Doctor smiled. You could miss a lot by not expecting the unexpected.

And then all rational thought failed him as the door opened. There she was, wide eyed at the seemingly simple scene that lay before her. She took a cautious step out the door, making an imprint in the snow before stepping back and staring at it, a small smile tracing her lips that melted the Doctor's hearts before she slowly stepped out, the smile now a look of awe.

The Doctor couldn't help wrinkling his nose just a little as his old self joined her. "Ready for this?"

With a witty repartie like that, he couldn't help but wonder how he'd pulled off getting her to stay with him as long as he had.

"Here we go. History!"

Especially considering how oblivious he was, he thought as he noticed the smile she gave him then. Could she really have felt that way about him even back then? Deciding not to think too long on it, he made to follow them before something caught his eye and he turned. "What are you doing here?"

"Could ask you the same thing," Jack replied before frowning. "How can you see me? I'm wearing the key!"

The Doctor just shook his head as he smiled back at him. "So'm I and you don't see you not seeing me." He sighed as Jack continued to stare at him with a puzzled expression. "We're both looking out for the unexpected Jack. Although...how'd you know to come down this alley?"

"Didn't, I just heard the Tardis and—-"

"Thought you'd try hitch a ride?" the Doctor asked, raising a brow.

Jack narrowed his eyes slightly. "Like big ears would have let me," he replied.

"Oy! They weren't that big! And besides, I _did_ let you!" he replied indignantly, the mention of his old self reminding him why he was here as he turned to follow the pair.

"Only because your favourite lady fell head over heals for my charms," Jack replied as he followed.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "She was not head over heals for you!"

"But she did fall for my charms. Admit it, even you were tempted," Jack replied with an evil grin.

"In your dreams," the Doctor replied.

Jack smiled. "Only the good ones."

"Jack!"

"Comes out slightly louder than that in them."

The Doctor just glared at him before returning his gaze to the pair in front of them, where the Doctor was buying a newspaper.

"I got the flight a bit wrong," he told Rose as they walked along the road.

"I don't care," she replied, still smiling as she looked at everything around her, trying to take it all in.

"It's not 1860 it's 1869," the Doctor continued.

"I don't care," she said again, still not in the least bit worried.

"And it's not Naples---"

"I don't care," she cut him off, hoping he'd get the point she was trying to make.

"It's Cardiff," he finished.

Her smile froze on her face as she paused, realising he'd been trying to make a point too. "Right," she replied slowly , thinking this over for a minute before following him once more.

Jack couldn't help but laugh as he stood beside the Doctor. "So you were aiming for 1860 Naples, and landed in 1869 Cardiff??" he gasped through his laughter.

"Shut it," the Doctor replied, turning to head back to his own Tardis.

"Seriously, this from the guy who was telling me he's got the sports car of time travel," Jack continued, following him.

The Doctor turned to face him. "Where exactly were **you** aiming for when you landed here again? Oh that's right, 21st century London!" he replied, smiling at Jack's frown. "Now do you need me to point out that I at least landed in the right decade, let alone century, or would you like to keep teasing?"

"Point taken," Jack replied begrudgingly.

"Good," the Doctor smiled before walking off again.

"So why didn't you try find me?" he asked, thinking about how he'd landed a couple of miles from where they stood.

"What do you want me to say Jack? That I didn't care about you? That I didn't leave you on the game station just to find you in Cardiff?" He paused, eyeing the old Time Agent before an evil grin spread across his face. "Or maybe that I was really lucky and was too preoccupied with one Miss Tyler?"

The Doctor gave Jack a sad smile at the look of interest that had suddenly crossed his face, which suddenly turned to a glare as a thought crossed Jack's mind, visible on his face before he raised a brow at the Doctor, supressing a laugh with great difficulty.

"And don't even suggest that it was Jackie, Jack, it's just too easy." The Doctor turned to face Jack fully. He knew they'd talked about some of the issues between them, but the trust between them was far from regained. Sighing, he knew now wasn't the time for teasing, even if he thought Jack's ego might need it. "Truth is Jack, I didn't even know you existed yet. Well, I say I didn't know...more like hoped that thread of possibility wasn't too near in my future," he added with a wink. "And then about ooh a week later there was Rose, dragging your path across mine and my life hasn't been innuendo free since! Did you hear what Martha said she'd do with my banana if I mentioned it one more time? Just because I mentioned she might be low in potassium."

"That's not innuendo Doc that's just---"

"How would you take it if Ianto said that to you?" the Doctor asked, raising a brow.

After a moment in thought Jack cleared his throat, trying with all his might to push the thought out. "That's different."

"It's innuendo," the Doctor replied before continuing walking.

"Wait how did you know---"

"How many times do I have to tell you lot? I'm brilliant!"

"Do you know what I think we need?" Jack asked, deciding not to question the Doctor further. "A holiday! Go to some nice beach paradise planet, laze about for a few days, fix the Tardis and be back before those papers finally hit my office floor," he said before the Doctor could answer; glad to see the gleam that shone in the Doctor's eye in response.

**And now that you've read, PLEASE review, means a lot...oh and those that have read Marsian Colds might have a bit of an idea what happens next ;) Oh and thanks to my fantastic Beta Becks :) Hehe BB, I like that ;)**


	3. It's a nice day for a

**Hey all, sorry it's been so long since last updated this...the Spin Off has been a bit more tempting to write recently than the main show...well fic...anyway, cos the lovely**** Blonde Dr.Who-Guru With Brains reminded me I hadn't updated this in a while, figured it was high time I did ;) So without further adieu...well except to remind you that Jack had just suggested a beach planet holiday...**

A few hours later the Doctor and Jack were running full tilt towards the TARDIS, ducking and diving as they made their way over one huge sand dune to the next.

"Doc this isn't exactly what I had in mind for my holiday," Jack yelled as he dove over another dune, rolling down the other side.

The Doctor was already beginning his ascent up the next dune as he replied. "Not my fault. You're the one who specified beautiful men and women on a beach planet," he yelled back over his shoulder.

Jack grunted at the exertion of running up yet another dune. "Didn't think I had to specify that I didn't want them to want to kill me!" he snapped back.

The Doctor skidded to a halt at the top of the next dune. "Oh bollocks!" he yelled in frustration.

Following his gaze, Jack's face dropped as he saw aliens swarming round the TARDIS. Turning around he saw the aliens that were chasing them weren't far behind either, causing his frown to deepen. As he looked back at the TARDIS a small smile peaked through as the TARDIS did something that sent those closest to her flying.

The Doctor winced though, knowing they must have done some damage to her to get quite that violent a reaction. "Right, nothing for it, weapons at the ready," he said looking at Jack nodding as he saw the man draw his pistol.

Jack on the other hand stifled a laugh as the Doctor held his Sonic Screwdriver up to his chest as though it were a pistol. "Nice," he said, ruining his serious tone as a smile broke across his face.

"Shut it," the Doctor warned before turning back to the TARDIS. "Ready?"

"I was born ready," Jack replied with a smirk.

The Doctor just groaned. "Don't get too cocky now Ja---"

"CHARGE!" Jack yelled, running forward, cutting off the Doctor's last words.

The Doctor groaned again but ran after him. It seemed almost impossible but this course of action took the aliens so much by surprise that they actually all froze long enough for Jack and him to get into the TARDIS. Once the door was safely closed behind them, they both visibly relaxed, though the Doctor still jogged up to the controls, pulling leavers and pushing buttons.

"Didn't realise I was having such an affect on you Doc," Jack teased as he threw his own jacket over one of the beams and headed towards his seat.

"How so?" the Doctor asked, not taking his eyes off the controls.

Jack smiled. "I've never heard you swear before."

"I don't swear," the Doctor replied, looking shocked at the very idea of it.

Jack raised a brow. "Last time I checked 'bollocks' was swearing."

"I've never said...that word!"

"You did! Back on the sand dune," Jack protested.

"I did not!"

"Did so!"

"Did not!"

"Did so!"

"Did...look I probably said 'Oh bother' and you misheard me," the Doctor replied, realising the 'Did not/Did so' argument wasn't getting them anywhere.

"You did NOT so 'Oh bother'!" Jack protested over the familiar hum of the TARDIS as they once again connected into the vortex. Jack's teasing ended abruptly as he saw the look on the Doctor's face. "What is it?" he asked, jumping up and making his way over.

"There's something wrong with---" his words were cut off by a huge cracking noise as the TARDIS suddenly began flinging from side to side, before spinning over itself, sending the two men flying.

"What's going on?" Jack yelled as he grabbed one of the railings, trying to hold himself steady as the TARDIS continued to jerk around.

"They've done something to her," the Doctor yelled back, frantically racing around the panels, holding on by his fingertips as the TARDIS leapt one way then the other. "Saving to backup battery? What backup battery? And why---"

His words were cut off as suddenly the glow went out signalling they'd been disconnected from the vortex and the beam fell silent, causing the creaking and banging of the rest of the ship to sound even louder than before.

"Oh no, not now," the Doctor yelled, racing around to the maintenance hatch. He'd just reached it when, for the first time through out his entire journey in the TARDIS, she had a true crash landing, not simply banging against buildings and skidding to a halt, but nothing holding her back crash.

The initial impact sent the Doctor flying through the air as she rose once more, bouncing a few more times before coming to her final resting place. The Doctor's final landing was made only slightly softer by landing in some of the TARDIS' more organic parts, though still getting a large gash in his side.

As he hung upside down, he saw Jack falling through the air. "No!" he cried as he watched his friend fall to the ground, his arms unable to stop the force with which his body moved as his head collided with the floor and the crunching noise that came from his neck caused the Doctor's hearts to ache, the effects unmistakable as his body slumped to the floor like a rag doll.

It didn't matter that it was obvious what had happened, or that given a few minutes Jack would give a huge gasp for air and be as though it had never happened, save possibly having an extremely large headache. The Doctor still ran over to him, lifted him up as though he were well and truly dead, and felt the pang of loss.

Finally lifting his head, eyes shimmering, he saw something he thought he would never see again. Pete Tyler smiled over at him, one hand in thumbs up position, through the open door of the TARDIS! Admittedly the sign was a lot worse for wear than the last time he'd seen it, the screen flickered and graffiti had been sprayed over parts, but it was definitely the same sign.

Laying Jack down, the Doctor stood, wincing at the pain in his side. Scrambling through the lopsided doorway, he looked around the area, happy to find it quite deserted. Going back to the TARDIS, he tipped the forlorn looking box back so it was standing as it should and went back in to look at the monitors, thankful that she'd somehow known to store backup battery for this. What the monitors showed him however, was something he hadn't expected at all!

He didn't know how it had happened. Couldn't even fathom the smallest conceivable idea with any shred of a possibility of how it might have had a 100 trillion to one chance of occurring. But it had. And for the first time in a very long time, in a very very long time, he was speechless.

"Doctor what is it?"

Martha's voice dragged him out of his thoughts, though all he could manage was to look between the monitor to her and back again.

"Doctor," she said more persistently. She'd been in her room packing her things while the boys went out to the beach when the TARDIS had started moving. She hadn't thought much of it until it suddenly started thrashing around, throwing her everywhere. She'd only just managed to make her way through the rubble that had once been her tidy room and to the control room only to find the Doctor frowning at one of the monitors and she couldn't help but worry, his lack of words doing nothing to ease her. "What's wrong? Why's the TARDIS making that noise?"

"Noise?" The word came out in complete disbelief without him having to think about it, for if he had it surely wouldn't have made it out. "That's not _noise_," he continued, glad that his mind was finally ticking over again, or at least enough to talk. He gave a small smile as the TARDIS gave a series of indignant beeps towards Martha before continuing her song. "She's singing," the Doctor told a confused looking Martha, while trying to figure out how she could look confused, left out and annoyed about something she clearly had no idea about. Turning his focus away from her once more, he rested a hand on one of the consoles, stroking it slightly as he looked back at the monitor. "Can it be?" he asked.

As if in answer to the question, the TARDIS sang louder. It was truly beautiful, the most magnificent of all the songs she would sing and he hadn't heard her sing it in such a very, very long time. "Come on," he yelled, grabbing Martha's hand without even thinking as he raced for the door.

Martha stared at their joined hands, feeling sparks pumping like electricity through her body from his touch. Was this it? Was she finally getting through to him? Had she packed her bags prematurely? Unfortunately these instantaneous thoughts weren't given time to contemplate the complete implications of such a romantic gesture on his part as she would have liked before she was being dragged along at breakneck speeds after him.

They'd just burst through the door when a gasping sound could be heard from behind the consoles.

"Bollocks," the Doctor growled, dropping Martha's hand as quickly as he'd grabbed it as he raced back inside, grabbing Jack's and dragging the only just reborn man up and out the TARDIS.

"What's going on?" Jack gasped, still trying to clear his mind from his latest death.

"No time, come on!" the Doctor yelled as he ran ahead of the pair.

Martha tried to catch Jack's eye, but he had already taken off after the Doctor.

They didn't stop running until they reached an impressive looking mansion, the Doctor banging on the door with his fist before pausing to catch his breath back.

"Fancy," Jack mumbled, looking around the large garden he'd just charged through, shaking his head slightly at Martha who'd only just reached the gate.

The woman that answered the door looked distinctly like Mrs Potts from Beauty and the Beast, tutting as she looked the pair of them over. "Oh she is not going to be happy that you're running this late," she said, causing both to frown. "No time to get changed, you'll just have to go as you are. I'll get Harold to give you a lift, just go wait by the car," she continued in an almost scolding tone before shutting the door.

"Umm where exactly are we Doc?" Jack asked as they made their way around the house to find a very overbearing black car.

"Pete's World," the Doctor replied, looking back at the front door, confusion still evident on his face.

Jack raised a brow. "And where might that be?"

Shaking his head, he turned back to face Jack. "Sorry, its Earth…well the other Earth, the Earth in Pete's world," he answered as though that explained everything.

Fortunately Jack had travelled with the Doctor long enough to decipher his gibberish. "I'm guessing the parallel?" he asked, the expression on the Doctor's face confirming it.

Martha caught up with them then, very grateful to see the car having been wondering how to tell them she would be better off waiting in the TARDIS.

An elderly gentleman came around from the back of the house, shaking his head with an amused smile as he looked at the group. "Oh she's not going to be happy with you," he said teasingly, nudging Jack, who was closest, in the ribs on his way past.

Jack opened the door for Martha so Harold was in the car when he turned to the Doctor. "Do you get the feeling we're expected?" he asked, raising a brow.

The Doctor nodded as he climbed in. Despite there being a partition between them and Harold, the Doctor shook his head just a little at the pair to indicate they shouldn't talk in the car.

His hunch was proven a moment later as Harold's voice came across the speaker. "Rose said you should've been back in time to get her out of the wedding. Either her doubting it was right or you're cutting it closer than you normally do," he told them before laughing.

The Doctor's eyes went wide as he met Jack's gaze. She was getting married? "Any chance you could go a bit faster?" he asked, desperation only just hidden from his voice.

Harold laughed once again. "Don't want to face the Tyler fury huh?" he asked, but complied.

"We've got to stop it," the Doctor mumbled so softly that his companions could barely hear him.

Jack nodded, his jaw set, while Martha just sighed.

Harold barely had a chance to announce their arrival before the two men were out and running. He just shook his head as he gave a small smile to Martha. "Go on love, your cousin won't be pleased you're running late either."

Martha frowned at the comment, but headed in after them all the same.

The two men burst through the inner doors, charging down the aisle. Jack couldn't help but grin as the only words he heard the minister say were, "Speak now or…oh my!"

"Stop the wedding!!" the Doctor yelled, somewhat put off by how long the aisle was. And then there she was. She turned to face him, even more beautiful than he remembered, and he found he could no longer yell for one of his hearts had gotten caught in his throat.

"Doctor?" she gasped when he was only a few feet away.

The Doctor gave a huge grin, though was a bit put out as the man who'd stepped up beside Rose did the same. Why would the groom be smiling at the man who was trying to stop his wedding? "You can't do it Rose!" he told her firmly.

"Umm Doctor," she began, but he quickly cut her off.

"No, I don't care what sort of promises you've made to him, you just can't marry him!" he told her, eyeing the groom once more.

Martha came jogging down the aisle then. "Doctor I think---"

"Not now Martha," he told her, before turning back to Rose. "You just can't---"

"It's not my wedding," she cut him off firmly, amusement clear on her face as she raised a brow at him.

"It's mine," Martha spoke from behind him.

The Doctor's mouth opened and closed a few times as he tried to register this, but he just couldn't seem to form a single word.

"Mind if we get back to it then?" Mickey, who was standing behind the man the Doctor had assumed was the groom, asked, forcing himself not to laugh at the comical look on the Doctor's face.

"Umm yes, go right ahead…sorry," he told them before looking around. "Umm where should we---"

"You can sit over here so I can keep an eye on you," Jackie said loudly.

The Doctor turned to find her sitting next to Pete in the front row. "Jackie!" he beamed, trying desperately to get past his embarrassment. "And Pete too! Fancy seeing you here!" he said, cocking his head slightly as he made his way over. "Martha, Jack, sit down already, you're holding up a wedding!" he told the pair who were still standing, causing them both to roll their eyes as they joined him.

"But is this the future or the past Doctor?" Martha asked him as soon as the priest continued.

"I thought it was the present," Jack replied from his other side.

The Doctor grinned innocently as Jackie shushed the pair, his eyes never leaving Rose.

**Confused yet? It'll start making sense again soon...well in a couple chapters max!! (hopes those reading that haven't read Wooden Heart recently...) Anyways, please let me know what you think. Reviews are better than chocolate!! And that's coming from a chocoholic!!!**


	4. A Moonful Meeting

**Hey guys, thanks for all the fab reviews! You guys rock! Okay see this is where it MIGHT start making sense...or confuse you more. If you're worried about the latter, just flick over Chapter 1 again and that might help when you read this. Secondly, it took me aaages to decide to reveal Davey (who's PoV this is from), but there's more twists ahead so figured it may make it easier if at least you guys know who he is, even if the Doc doesn't. Thirdly? Enjoy!**

I hated being at this pompous wedding. I mean why do we have to have this tedious ceremony in an overbearing church? We've got a perfectly fantastic garden at home and even Mickey's struggling not to yawn, and it's his wedding! I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing. It's not really his wedding, not so much as it is Martha's. Why can't aliens attack when you want them to sometimes? I'm finding I'm almost wishing they would now just to speed up the proceedings.

Looking over at Martha, I really can't see what he sees in her at all. Okay, she's kind of pretty, but at the end of the day that's just skin deep right? But I guess moving on would have been hard for him too. Looking slightly behind Martha, I catch Rose's eye. She gives me a smile and raises her eyes heavenwards ever so slightly, and I smile back – she's just as bored as I am.

As she returns her gaze to the couple, I continue watching her. My big sister...well sort of. Somewhere in the middle of my half-sister and a whole one...it's complicated. A lot in Rose's life is. Okay so we've definitely got the same mum, but our dad? Well that's a sort of. Her dad was Pete Tyler and mine is Pete Tyler and in a way they were the same person, if you count a version of yourself from a parallel universe the same. See? Complicated.

But she says I'm her little brother no matter what.

Rose Tyler, defender of the Earth, well I say Earth, the universe is more likely...well, this one anyway.

That could be a huge shadow to live under, but it's not. She's not like that at all. She's amazing! Fantastic even...but don't let her hear you say that, or it's...never mind, I'm getting away from myself here. I guess it's because she's only been back a week. Admittedly she wasn't gone nearly as long this time, but still, ever since that first long trip...I can't help but try work out exactly how long we were apart that time. It was horrible...but so was being at the end of her wrath at her return. Who would have thought the books would have annoyed her so much?

And then I notice her glance at Martha, scrunching her nose ever so slightly before looking away again. I know she doesn't like her and probably never will, though at least she's able to act civilly around her, which is a bit more than can be said for Martha, even if she says it's only 'cause it's what the Doctor would have wanted.

Mum says I have to like Martha 'cause she saved Rose's life once. For that I will always be grateful and I bite my tongue a lot too...but doesn't mean I have to like her.

As for Martha and Rose? Who knows, maybe in time they'll build a bridge over the chasm that's formed between them. Problem is, old habits die hard and that chasm was created the very first moment they met.

"_You know when I got told I'd actually have a day off this week, the first thing I thought I'd wanna do was go with you to get your bunions sorted," Rose told Mickey sarcastically as they walked into the hospital. "And at the bloody hospital no less! Why go to the ones at work when there's a hospital just an hours drive away?" she ranted, glaring at the back of a man in full leather outfit and helmet who'd just barged past her._

_Mickey slung his arm over her shoulder. "You know I'd recommend this place to anyone, and besides if I went at work everyone would know I have bunions," he told her as they went round to the reception area._

"_Shouldn't have told me that," she replied, giving him a wicked grin._

_He just smiled back, kissing the top of her head before going to check in. He knew she wouldn't breath a word of this to anyone at work...well except maybe Pete. He glanced over his shoulder at her as she sat and flicked through one of the magazines, knowing she wasn't taking in a word._

_His smile faded slightly as he watched her. It had been a long time since he'd seen her smile. Not just a smile at something, but just for the hell of it, just because you were happy smile. And for that he hated Torchwood. He knew it was different now. It had to be now that Rose, Pete and him were running the place...well him and Pete mostly these days._

_He knew that pretending she'd been throwing herself into her work more and more because she was enjoying it and finally adjusting was just pointless. Yes she'd adjusted, but she hadn't enjoyed a second of it. She loved her family and so would never really show them how bad she felt, but they all knew exactly where she'd rather be, or rather who she'd rather be with, even after all the time that had passed._

"_If you'd just like to go through to consult room number 309," the woman behind the desk told him after going through the forms he'd passed her a moment earlier. He turned to call Rose, but she was already up, confirming that she hadn't been paying attention to the magazine that had been in her hands a moment earlier._

_Rose sat in a seat next to the window as Mickey was seen to on a bed behind a closed curtain. "Oh great, now it's raining!" she moaned as she watched it coming down...but it wasn't. She groaned. "So much for a day off," she grumbled to Mickey. "You ready for some fighting?" she asked Mickey through the curtain._

"_I'm not fighting rain with you again, babe. It just ends up with us getting wet and possibly a cold," he told her matter of factly as he pulled his shoes back on._

_She just whacked the back of his head through the curtain. "Come on," she called as she strode out of the room._

_Mickey couldn't help but smile. There was just something sexy about Rose taking charge. Slightly scary, but sexy all the same._

_Just then there was what felt like an earthquake, sending them both flying against the walls. Once it had subsided Rose ran to the nearest window. "Oh you have got to be kidding me," she growled before turning back to Mickey. "Hope you've got your moon boots ready," she told him before heading off again._

"_You're kidding right?" he asked, glancing out the window as he raced to keep up with her. "Not kidding then," he said as he saw Earth in the distance._

_Rose ran up a set of steps before striding down a corridor looking as determined and in charge as ever._

"_Don't! We'll lose all the air!" she heard someone shrieking from an open doorway ahead._

"_But, they're not exactly airtight. If the air was going to get sucked out, it would have happened straight away, but it didn't," she heard the response just as she reached the door._

_She just couldn't resist as she called out "No shit Sherlock," as she walked past._

"_She means 'Why of course my dear Watson'," Mickey poked his head in the room long enough to tell the women before running to catch up with Rose again._

"_No I didn't," she retorted with a cheeky grin._

_He just rolled his eyes. "Be nice, that was Adeola's cousin."_

"_And why do I have to be nice to the office tart's cousin?" Rose retorted._

"_Hey!" they heard a woman calling from behind them._

_Rose ignored the voice, but Mickey turned around walking backwards to see who it was. "Uh 'cause she's following us?" he murmured from the corner of his mouth._

"_Oh don't tell me you've got a thing for the office tart and now her cousin as well?" Rose asked teasingly._

"_What? Course not," he replied, turning back to watch where he was walking and ignoring the knowing look Rose was giving him._

"_Oy, I'm talking to you!" the woman called as she ran to catch up with them. She was stopped by two security guards that Mickey and Rose had just walked by._

_Mickey gave Rose a pleading look, and she sighed, looking back over her shoulder. "She's with us," she called to the security guard nearest the woman. The security guard gave the woman one last scrutinising look before letting her pass._

"_Who are you?" she asked when she'd finally caught up with them, and now struggled to keep pace._

"_Who do you think?" Rose asked in return._

"_I don't know, the police?" the woman asked, frowning._

_Rose couldn't help but laugh, which wiped the pleased smile from Mickey._

"_You're with the government aren't you?" she tried again, pointing an accusatory finger at them._

_Rose rolled her eyes this time, though her smart remark was cut off by the juddering of the building. "Oh what now?" she asked aloud, going over to the nearest window to watch three tall cylinder like ships descending. "Oh great, what do they want?"_

"_Who are they again?" Mickey whispered so the woman couldn't hear._

_She sighed as she gave him a look. "Judoon Mickey."_

"_Course, that'll be the Judoon," he said firmly, so the woman could hear._

"_Equivalent of police crossed with thugs," she told the woman, rolling her eyes at the grateful look from Mickey, who she knew needed the explanation as well. "Come on," she called as she continued down the corridor._

"_Where are we going again?" Mickey asked._

"_Head of the hospital," Rose replied._

_The woman frowned. "That's Mr Stoker."_

"_Yup."_

"_How do you know him?"_

"_Don't."_

"_Then how'd you know he's in charge?"_

"_Well one, you just told me and two, not only is it on almost every list of staff display, but there's an obnoxious portrait of him in the lobby downstairs."_

"_How do you know he'll see you?"_

"_Oh believe me, he's either going to be very grateful or very sorry to see me," Rose replied, shoving the door of his office open to find him being held by two slabs and an old woman advancing on him with a straw. "Damn it! I was so hoping for the latter today," she sighed. "Not interrupting are we?" she asked with an innocent face._

"_Actually yes, I was just about to have a snack, if you'd like to come back later?" the woman told her with a steely look._

_Rose eyed the straw. "Forget the old vampire dentures today?"_

"_If you're trying to imply I'm a vampire---"_

"_Oh I'm not trying, I'm saying you're a really old vampire who's actually lost her canines," Rose cut her off with a smile._

_The woman glared at her. "I'll have you know little girl, there are vast differences between a common vampire and the mighty Plasmavore," she told her sternly._

"_Plasmavore? Mickey you ever heard of the Plasmavore?" she asked._

"_No babe."_

"_How bout you...nurse?" she asked turning to the woman._

"_I'm a resident actually," the woman replied coldly._

_Rose sighed. "Fine, have you ever heard of the Plasmavores __**resident**__?"_

"_Umm...no," the woman replied hanging her head._

"_Neither have I. But I have heard of vampires, so you can't be all that high and mighty," Rose taunted._

"_I wouldn't expect a measly human like you to know anything useful. The Plasmavores don't just suck blood, we are able to assimilate the blood we drink," she told her, an evil smile crossing her face._

_Rose looked at her coldly. "And let me guess, that assimilation is what's going to get you past the Judoon out there?"_

"_Got it in one," the woman replied, not noticing Rose knew the name of the Judoon. "It looks like I have a few to choose from now doesn't it?"_

_Rose glared at her. "Oh if you're killing anyone today it's gonna be me," she replied, her voice icy._

"_I couldn't think of a victim that would give me more pleasure," the woman smiled._

"_Well what are you waiting for? A written invitation?" Rose asked, suddenly tauntingly. "If it's going to stop you killing the others, then kill me! Kill me!"_

_The woman smiled cruelly. "Don't bother with fake bravado, this shan't be a painless death," she warned._

"_Is this your first time or something? Just do it already! Do it! Just do it!"_

_With surprising speed the woman had spiked the straw in her neck. Other than an initial flinch at the pain, Rose didn't move. It was an odd sensation, her heart pumping harder and yet still getting more and more light headed by the second. She'd tried to be strong, to fight without him by her side, but she couldn't do it any longer. At least now she was dying saving those she loved, defending the Earth and all that. She could even argue the Plasmavore had saved her a trip to the beach. And then she slipped into darkness._

_The Judoon barged into the room just as she dropped Rose to the floor._

"_Now, see what you've done? This poor girl just died of fright," she told them as she tucked her straw back into her handbag._

"_Scan her!" the Judoon Captain told one of his men, watching as he pointed his device at Rose's body causing it to wip-wip-wip. "Confirmation: deceased," the Captain declared a moment later._

"_No, but she can't be!" Mickey yelled out. "Let me through, let me see her!" he continued, trying to barge past the Judoon officers, but they held him back._

"_Case closed," the Captain told Mickey with finality._

"_But it was her!" the resident screeched, pointing at the Plasmavor. "She killed her, she did it, she murdered her---"_

_The Captain cut her off though, "Judoon have no authority over Human crime."_

"_But she's not Human," Mickey tried telling them._

"_Oh, but I am, surely? I'm a patient of this very hospital. That nurse has even treated me," the Plasmavore replied, pointing a finger at the resident._

_The resident just scowled at her._

"_But she's not, she's assimilated..." Mickey trailed off. "Wait a minute, you drank her blood?" he asked, grabbing one of the Judoon devices and pointing it at Florence, causing it to wip-wip-wip once more. 'Come on Rose, you had to have planned this,' he thought to himself, 'you wouldn't just let her kill you for nothing!'_

"_I don't mind, scan all you like," Florence replied with an evil smile._

_Just then the device made an ear piercing w__reeeeee!_

"_Non-Human!" the Judoon Captain declared._

_Florence's smile was replaced with a look of horror. "What!"_

"_Confirm analysis!" he ordered his troops, who all pointed their devices at her. Wip-wip-wip-WREEEEEE!_

"_But - that's a mistake, it's got to be, I'm Human! As Human as they come---"_

"_She gave her life so they'd find you," Mickey cut her off angrily as he knelt down beside Rose's limp form._

"_Confirm: Plasmavore! Charged with the crime of murdering the Child Princess of Padrivole Regency Nine---" the Judoon Captain announced, ignoring the emotional turmoil of both parties._

"_And she deserved it!" Florence cut him off. "Those pink cheeks and blonde curls, and that simpering voice, oh, she was begging for the bite of a Plasmavore!" she told the room, positively licking her lips._

"_She doesn't like blondes very much does she?" the resident asked, trying to lighten the mood, but it went unnoticed by everyone. Looking down as Mickey held Rose in his arms, she realised this was what she was trained to deal with as she quickly went over, having to push Mickey - who seemed to be in a trance - out of the way before she could begin CPR._

"_Then you confess?" the Judoon Captain asked Florence._

_She glared at him. "Confess? I'm proud of it! Slab, stop them!" she exclaimed, but as they stepped forward to attack, the Judoon raised their weapons, destroying the pair in a blaze of red light, leaving nothing in their wake._

"_Verdict: guilty. Sentence: execution!" the Judoon Captain declared before all Judoons pointed their weapons on Florence, who went the same way as the two slabs before her. "Case closed. Our jurisdiction has ended. Judoon will evacuate," he told the troops in the room before addressing his comms unit. "All units! Withdraw!"_

_As the room emptied, Mickey seemed to snap out of the daze he'd been in to look over at Martha doing CPR on Rose, only not proper CPR. "That isn't right," he told her, before taking over. It took longer than he would have liked, but she finally came round, half-choking as she began to breath once more. He beamed down at her as she recovered her breath. "You had me worried there for a minute!" he told her, as she tried to sit up, supporting her as she fell back._

_She didn't know what to say to that, only that she felt extremely claustrophobic in the small room now. "Any chance of going outside?"_

"_There's a balcony not far from here," he replied as he lifted her up into his arms, much to her annoyance, even though she couldn't yet stand._

_The resident frowned at the pair of them. "We're still on the moon!" she exclaimed as they exited the room. "Don't you have __back-up that you can call? You must have a partner or something back on Earth!"_

"_Humans. We're stuck on the Moon running out of air with Judoon and a blood-sucking criminal and she's busy asking you personal questions!" Rose told Mickey affectionately._

_He just glared at her. "The Plasmavore's been executed and the Judoon are withdrawing," he told her as he turned to push open the balcony door with his shoulder._

"_So I see," she replied as they watched the ships rise, causing the Moon to shake. She was grateful when Mickey finally set her back down on her feet though, despite feeling rather woozy from blood loss. "How many people want to go to the Moon? And here we are!"_

"_Standing in the earthlight," he replied with a grin._

_She rolled her eyes. "Oh that is cheesy! Even for you!"_

_He just shrugged, forcing himself not to mention that she wouldn't have thought so if someone else had said it, instead asking, "So you never been before?"_

"_Na," she replied. "Not a lot to see or do here is there?"_

"_You make it sound like you've travelled the universe," the resident replied snidely, causing the pair to realise for the first time that she'd followed them out._

_Mickey turned to face her with a smile, though Rose just glared at the Earth, ignoring her. "Hi, I'm Mickey Smith," he said extending his hand._

"_Martha Jones," she replied shaking his hand before turning to Rose, who continued to stare off at Earth. "And you are?" she asked coldly._

"_It's raining again," Rose told Mickey with a smile, reaching her hand out, the water still just out of reach. "We'll be home soon and you can start on the paperwork," she added with an evil grin._

"_Thanks," he replied sarcastically before giving her a pointed look and tilting his head in Martha's direction, just before the building shook once more as they landed back on Earth._

_Rose would have preferred to ignore her. What real difference would it make considering the plan she now had to go back to tomorrow, but she knew Mickey wouldn't like that. "Keep yourself out of trouble. Sorry, got to dash, need to get this seen to," she told Martha, indicating the hole in her neck which had started trickling blood._

"_Second floor," Martha told her with a scowl._

_Rose snorted. "Like I'd trust my life in the public health system!" she rolled her eyes before walking back inside and headed back towards the exit, hoping neither of them would notice her using the wall for balance at times._

"_Her name's Rose," Mickey said, looking slightly embarrassed by her rude behaviour._

_Martha rolled her eyes. "Like I care," she mumbled._

"_Umm, we'll need you to make a statement---"_

"_So you are with the police?" she asked cutting him off._

_He gave her a grin as he shook his head. "Na, bit higher up than that. Anyway, stop by Canary Wharf around one tomorrow? I'll meet you outside," he told her before following in Rose's wake._

"_Sounds like a cheap way to score a date," she called after him, not entirely upset considering how cute he was, even if his girlfriend was horrible._

I still don't believe Mickey was the one that gave Rose CPR. I mean a resident Doctor at a hospital versus a field agent from Torchwood. Not hard to guess which would have the better first aid skills! Rose said the scanners didn't recognise her as human 'cause she's not from this universe and that it would have worked even if Mickey had done it...

Just then the doors of the church burst open. "Stop the wedding!" one of the men that was running down the aisle yelled.

I watched Rose step forward, and couldn't help step up beside her. If this guy meant her harm, he'd have to get through me first!

"Doctor?" she gasped when he was only a few feet away.

The one that had yelled gave a huge grin, and I realised it must be him, the one she'd told me about all those years ago, and I couldn't help the huge grin that spread across my own face. Not quite the alien attack that I'd been expecting, but then they never really are, are they?

**So how'd everyone like that? We started right back at the start again and finished...just before the end of the last chapter! Don't you just LOVE time travel? Hehe...**

**And how are you gonna react when you see this? A great big threatening button! A great big threatening button which must not be pressed under any circumstances, am I right? Let me guess, it's some sort of update matrix? Hmm? Hold on, what's feeding it? Reviews? Yeah, definitely. Reviews. Your reviews. With just a dash of irony. Ahh but that means...update control...update control! Oh! I haven't seen update control for...at least a week! You're controlling how fast I update!**

**Yeah, NO idea where that came from...okay I know it came from the Christmas Invasion before I get your sarcy comments :p But why mix it in here and now? No idea...but really, it fits nicely doesn't it? And we all know what the Doctor would do! ;)**

**Oh and before I forget...has anyone noticed how long the final ANs on this fic tend to be?...this fic now ties in the Evil Wish (well I say now, it always did, it's just you wouldn't know it till now) AND also from next week (possibly, probably, perhaps...something beginning with p) the Spin Off will be starting...even though it still doesn't have a name. Baring in mind it will have some HUGE spoilers in it for this fic...well...I'm gonna try minimise some of them...but anyway...if it does go up, make sure you read the next chapter of THIS one before you read the first chapter of THAT one or there most definitely WILL be a huge spoiler (yeah I'm trying to get you to tune in next week again too!) Right, another very long AN done (hope you liked it V ;))**


	5. And finallywith a twist

**Hey guys, yup a really short ish AN. It's the chapter you've all been waiting for, and even has the line that inspired this whole fic at the start! (...the guy that played Adam was in...some UK soap...okay that's just gonna end up REALLY confusing! Thanks to google – Bruno Langley in Coronation St. After Sarah and...her hubby get married and hubby is annoyed about the whole getting married even though her brother might be dying and goes does to the pub with Bruno's character. That scene is pretty much the first few lines of this one (rephrased a bit and all), and just loved how it started, though it didn't continue as this one does...so much for a short AN!! Anyway, now that you're all completely confused, THAT'S the scene that inspired this fic...and no I don't watch Corri (if you couldn't guess by my total lack of names etc) just happened to be an episode I did catch while in the UK (I didn't even realise it was the Thames at the start till I got to the UK!!) ANYway, without further adieu...**

"What's wrong sweetheart? He's sitting right there, why don't you just go over and talk to him?" Jackie asked as she joined Rose and Davey at the main table.

Rose just looked up her mum for a moment before looking back over at the Doctor, chewing on her right thumb nail as though it might hold the answers, while her other hand tugged at the Rose Quartz hanging from her left ear.

"Jacks how bout you got get us some drinks?" Davey asked, nodding toward the bar.

Jackie narrowed her eyes slightly, but walked away.

Rose gave a soft laugh as she shook her head. "Oh you are so going to pay for that one! Only Pete's allowed to call her that," she told him.

He just shrugged it off. "So what's wrong? He's sitting right there, why don't you just go over and talk to him?" he repeated Jackie's question.

If anyone pointed out to Rose that the pair had actually asked identical questions she would never have believed them. For some reason in her mind they seemed completely different, and rather than the blank stare she'd given her mother, an almost forlorn expression crossed her face as she faced Davey. "He's moved on...and I guess I have too sort of," she mumbled the thumb she was chewing now rubbing the ring on the same hand.

"Pff, hardly," Davey replied, causing her to raise a brow. "Come on Rose, noone's even been allowed to say the word Doctor around you since before Mickey met Martha. And if you were so over him, going over and talking to him wouldn't be such a big deal. _And_ if he doesn't feel the same about you then he never deserved to have you as a companion in the first place," he added with a definitive nod.

Rose rolled her eyes, though she appreciated it, rubbing his hair affectionately. "Okay fine, maybe I haven't moved on as much as I might like. Tell anyone that and you're dead," she added, pointing a stern finger at him, to which he mimicked her eye roll. "But whose to say he hasn't? I mean think about how long he's probably been travelling with Martha for! I don't stand a chance against that!" she replied.

Davey snorted. "Do you really think he could ever look at Martha in that way?" he asked incredulously.

"He might, I mean he was the one who first told me to give her a chance remember?" Rose replied, looking over at the Martha she'd known for so long before looking at the one she'd only just met, who was now standing at the desserts table.

"I mean look at the way he keeps looking at her," the Doctor was telling Jack, giving Davey a quick glance before turning back to her.

Jack rolled his eyes. "If you're so convinced they're a couple, why don't you put your money where your mouth is and go ask?"

"Well one because I don't have any money and two it's rude to ask people personal questions the first time you meet them," the Doctor replied huffily.

Jack couldn't help but laugh. "Doc, I hardly think this classifies as your first time meeting Rose."

"Might as well be," Rose replied, trying not to wonder what the Doctor was saying to make Jack laugh.

"Oh come on Rose, stop being such a baby and go over there and talk to him!"

"I'm not acting like a baby! I'm more than 700 hundred years older than you remember?"

"Well then **act** like it," Jack retorted. "Honestly, do you think Rose is sitting up there making this much fuss?"

Rose glared at Davey. "No, and in a way that's part of the problem. I mean he probably hasn't even given me a second thought since I last saw him."

Davey's jaw dropped. "You're kidding right?

"Jack I hardly think she's spent the last year wallowing in what might have been," the Doctor replied, getting quite annoyed by the conversation now.

"Yeah Martha's been telling me about her adventures with you, and I gotta say they don't sound nearly as fun as the ones we used to have."

"Oh you can't listen to anything he tells you Davey. There's only one sort of adventure he'd be happy with and--"

"I don't think I need to know," Davey quickly cut her off, scrunching his nose. "So is it weird..." he trailed off at the frown that crossed her face. Following her gaze, he found Martha carrying three bowls back to the two men. "What is it?" he asked.

"Great," she grumbled, ignoring his question. "Now I _have_ to go over or we'll all be putting up with a grumpy Doctor," she continued sulkily, picking up Davey's dessert plate as she stood up, despite his protests.

Raising her chin, she walked over with all the confidence she could muster, which was barely any compared to normal. "Here I'll trade ya," she told the Doctor, picking up the bowl Martha had just placed in front of him and putting Davey's in it's place.

"Rose!" he beamed, not believing his luck in her coming over, quickly looking back to his plate so she might not see how much it meant to him. "Edible ball bearings!" he exclaimed, having just spotted what was on his plate.

Jack gave a soft laugh as he shook his head. "You come to join us Rosie?" he asked, giving her his best charming smile.

"Oh I should probably--" she motioned back towards the table she'd come from, but Jack was already pulling out the seat between him and the Doctor for her. She reluctantly sat down, grabbing a fork so she could at least pretend to focus on her fruit salad.

"It's banana!" the Doctor mumbled around his mouthful of cake, the joy evident on his face.

Rose couldn't help but laugh just a little. "Yeah, it's become Davey's favourite too."

"Don't see what's wrong with the fruit salad," Martha mumbled begrudgingly.

"Pears," Rose replied, wondering how the Doctor could have told her to give Martha a chance when his seemed nearly as bad as hers from first impressions.

The Doctor pulled a face. "Now why would you go and ruin a perfectly good fruit salad with pears? I--"

"Hate pears," Jack and Rose half-sang the end of his sentence for him, before cracking up.

He glared back at the pair of them. "Alright, just because I've told you a few times."

"A few times?" Rose asked incredulously.

"I would have been happy with a few times, wouldn't you Rosie?" Jack asked.

She nodded. "When it comes to tellings, a few is a nice number, so much better than a hundred."

"Or a thousand," Jack added.

"Or--"

"We get the point!" the Doctor cut them off, setting them off chuckling once more. "Blimey, I'd forgotten what a bad idea it was having you two in the same room!"

"Oh believe me it's so much worse--" Mickey, who had just arrived at he table, was stopped finishing his sentence by the rather painful thwak to his arm from Rose. He couldn't help but grin at her before turning to the rest of the table. "Captain Innuendo, always a pleasure, and Doc, still causing trouble wherever you go," he said to each of the men as he shook their hands good naturedly.

"If it isn't Mickety McMickey," the Doctor greeted him with a smile. "And this must be the local Martha Jones," he nodded toward the woman standing beside him.

"Nope, this would be the amazing Martha **Smith**," Mickey corrected him pointedly.

"Right, it was your wedding I almost stopped," the Doctor replied, nodding so that the others might not notice his embarrassment at stuffing it up.

"Well we're just doing the rounds. We'll have to catch up on all your latest misadventures later," Mickey told the group. "And as for you, don't go flying off alright?" Mickey said, giving Rose a pointed look.

As if his words had suddenly triggered a memory, Rose looked over at the Doctor. "Can I see her?" Rose asked timidly.

"See who?" Martha Jones asked frowning.

The Doctor just gave Rose a small smile though. "Course," he replied, before standing and turning for the exit, Rose and Jack right behind him followed a bit belatedly by Martha.

Mickey just shook his head before calling after them, "You better have her back before the cutting of the cake!"

After a moment's hesitation, Davey jogged up to Rose, pulling her aside from the others slightly. "Can I come?" he asked almost desperately, the excitement clear on his face.

Rose looked over at Jackie whose jaw was already clenched before turning back to Davey. "If you're okay with facing her wrath I guess I can't really stop you," she replied with a wink. "Come on," she added, wrapping her arm through his as they hurried to catch up with the others. "So where's she parked?" Rose asked as she fell into step beside the Doctor.

"Same place as last time we were here surprisingly enough...although because we went to your house first," he stopped, looking around as he tried to figure out which direction they should be going in.

Jack sighed and Rose rolled her eyes. "How do you manage to not get lost **inside** the TARDIS?" she asked as she grabbed his hand and led him back the way they'd come.

He was momentarily speechless as he savoured the feeling before clearing his throat. "Oh you know, years of being lost in a maze, you eventually know it inside out," he replied with a wink.

"Or in your case decades," Jack teased, earning himself a glare.

They walked through the alley between the church and the reception hall before coming out next to the main road.

Rose stopped dead, not for any traffic, as the road was surprisingly empty, but at the sight that met her. She could feel tears prickling at her eyes as she stared at the familiar blue box. It was almost as powerful as seeing the Doctor again after all this time, and she was overwhelmed by the feeling of finally returning home.

The others paused with her, Davey just as stunned by finally seeing what he'd heard about for so long, while Jack knew Rose might need a moment. And the Doctor, well it was taking all his will power not to run into the TARDIS with Rose and set it going before any of the others could catch up. Instead he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and a smile before moving forward to cross the road.

It seemed he wasn't the only one forcing himself to walk as after the initial couple steps to get her legs working again, Rose found herself running to the box. Turning to Davey, she grinned as he'd already pulled her chain out from around his neck and passed it to her. Taking the key she slid it into the lock, grinning madly at the four around her before pushing it open, unable to stop the squeal that escaped her as she stepped inside.

She ran up the ramp and steps to the console, rubbing her hand along one of the smooth portions. "Hey girl, did you miss me?" she asked, her smile growing and her cheeks aching as the TARDIS hummed a welcome. She covered her face with both her hands, before drawing them down, giggling as she found it wasn't just a dream. Spinning around again she just beamed at the Doctor, who couldn't help but smile back in a way that he only did for Rose.

Davey wasn't hiding his excitement either as he bounced around the console. "Oh is this the Elbbabonhcet? Oh and the gijamagniht! This is so cool! Is that really Gallifreyan?" he asked as he bounced from one section to the next.

Jack raised a brow at Rose, wondering how much she'd told the younger man.

She just shrugged in return, before bouncing over and giving him a hug. They grinned at each other before looking over at the Doctor who looked taken aback as Davey jumped in front of him.

"Is it alright if I go have a look at the closet? Please I've heard all about it and--"

"Just say yes Doc, doesn't sound like he'll stop any time soon. Is he part squirrel or something?" Jack quipped, turning back to Rose.

"Think so yeah," she replied.

The Doctor looked over at her before returning his gaze to Davey. "Oh alright, it's--"

"Through there," Davey cut him off. "First left, second right, third on the left. Straight ahead, under the stairs, past the bins, fifth door on the left, right?" he asked excitedly.

The Doctor frowned, looking back over at Rose who looked mildly embarrassed.

"Yes Davey, now scoot before you embarrass me further!" she told him, not surprised when he bounced over to her, engulfing her in a hug before sprinting from the room. "Sorry, he just loves hearing about her, and since I never thought I'd see her again, didn't think it would do too much harm."

He nodded before making his way around the controls, just idly checking to make sure the TARDIS was alright.

Jack and Rose frowned at him. "You alright?" they asked in unison.

"Course, why wouldn't I be?" he asked, only glancing up at them before looking down once more.

They shared a look before turning back to him. "Maybe he's tired?" Jack asked.

"Not as fit as he used to be?" Rose wondered.

They looked at each other, mirroring each others grins as they asked in unison, "Not enough potassium in his diet?"

"What are you two babbling on about?" he asked, walking back around to face them.

"Just never seen you walk around the controls," Jack replied.

"What? I walk around the controls around the controls all the time!" the Doctor replied, frowning at the pair of them.

"No," Rose said slowly, "You run..."

"...or bounce..."

"...or hop, do you remember hopping around the controls? Hop, hop, hop," Rose asked in an evil impression of him.

He glared at her, but his retort was cut off by Martha. "Hang on, what did Davey mean _the closet_?" she asked.

"You know, the closet," the Doctor shrugged.

Rose looked at her, trying to figure her out. "Kinda hard to miss, bout five stories of clothes," she added, not able to work out how she could have travelled with the Doctor as long as she must have and not know about the closet.

"You have five stories worth of clothes?" she asked incredulously.

"It's a bit more than that really. There's rails all stacked around and on top of each other. Surprised we ever managed to get anywhere with Rosie always picking new outfits," Jack replied teasingly.

Rose just rolled her eyes. "I didn't take nearly as long as you," she retorted. "_Oh can we make a quick stop in Top Shop?_" she asked in an impressively accurate impersonation of him, causing him to glare and the Doctor to laugh shortly followed by a groan.

As they looked over at him Rose was the first to notice the blood seeping through his shirt, his jacket having been discarded as he walked in. "Looks like you're in need of the medbay," she said softly, torn between going over to him and letting Martha do it.

Seeing the blood, Martha darted from the room, returning a moment later with the first aid kit. "You'll need to take your shirt off," she told him, seeing the cut stretched further than the torn fabric.

The Doctor looked over at Rose as his fingers went for the top buttons.

"I'll umm...go see what's changed," she stuttered heading for the door, followed by a bemused looking Jack, who raised a brow at the Doctor before disappearing out the room.

"It's not like it's anything she hasn't seen before," Martha mumbled as she dabbed at the wound.

"But it is," he murmured back.

"You mean to tell me in the _entire_ time you travelled with him, you never _once_ saw him without his shirt on?" Jack asked incredulously.

Rose glared at him as her cheeks burned. "It's not my fault the TARDIS runs a very PG ship," she grumbled, not surprised by the indignant beeps she got in response.

Jack laughed. "You sure about that? 'cause I remember walking around in the nude _all_ the time," Jack replied.

"And I recall you complaining about how long it took to get from one place to the next as well," she goaded

She looked him up and down then and Jack had the almost distinct feeling that he _was_ naked and not completely upset about it.

"All patched up," the Doctor called down the corridor, buttoning up a new shirt.

Rose left Jack in a daze as he licked his lips as she headed back to the control room, though he joined her there a few moments later.

"You alright there Jack?" the Doctor asked, raising a brow at him.

"Mmhmm," he mumbled in a higher pitch than normal before quickly clearing his throat. "Yeah, course," he said nodding a bit longer than necessary.

Just then Davey came racing back into the room. "It's just as you described," he told Rose excitedly, his face covered in a huge smile. "And I found Arthur! Can't believe you tried to make him get rid of him!" he scolded her.

"Arthur?" Jack and Martha asked, though it went unnoticed as Rose asked, "You still have him? Didn't think he'd survive this long!"

The Doctor shrugged. "Ah he's got years left on him," he replied, trying not to show his growing annoyance at what she'd told her boyfriend about his ship, and wondered how much she'd told the boy about him!

Noticing the Doctor's worsening mood, Rose checked her watch. "We should probably get back, they'll be cutting the cake soon."

Martha and the Doctor looked relieved by the suggestion, though Davey looked disappointed and Jack confused.

"Hurry up," Rose said, giving Davey a stern look as he looked back at the doorway to the rest of the ship forlornly.

Sighing, he headed for the main door, before turning back to the Doctor. "Can I come explore more of it later?"

Looking at the Doctor, she knew the answer he wanted to say wasn't the one Davey wanted to hear, so beat him to it. "We don't know how long they'll be able to stay for Davey, just be grateful you got to see her."

"Oh I am! She's magnificent!" he said enthusiastically, directing his comment to the main column.

As if aware that the compliment was intended just for her, the TARDIS hummed her gratitude, causing Davey's smile to broaden.

"She's really alive!" he said excitedly.

Rose sighed. "You knew that already, now SCOOT," she told him pushing him out the door.

Jack looked over at the Doctor, hoping for some sort of explanation, but the Doctor refused to even meet his gaze as he followed the pair out.

Arriving back, they found the reception in full swing with the dance floor now full of couples as a live band played from the front, though the current song was just ending.

Rose had a sinking feeling as they smiled over at her and an all too familiar song began.

"Hey, it's our song Rosie," Jack said cheerfully as he came up beside her, not even remembering when he'd last listened to Glenn Miller.

Rose put her hand to her forehead. "As if things weren't complicated enough," she mumbled.

"What's wrong?" he asked, a frown replacing his smile.

She looked up at him, looking almost sad. "Just don't let him leave yet alright? There are things to discuss and hopefully enough time later to do so."

"What's going on Rose?" Jack asked, now really worried about her.

Before she could answer, one of the band that wasn't needed for to play Moonlight Serenade spoke into the mic. "Would Rose please make her way to the dance floor?"

Rose gave Jack an apologetic look before slowly making her way through the crowd, who seemed to be teasing her in amusement.

Jack watched as she forced a smile for them as they all but pushed her to the middle of the dance floor, which was now empty in preparation. "Isn't it only meant to be the wedding couple that gets a lone dance?" he asked no one in particular.

"Not when two of the worlds greatest heroes are in attendance," Davey replied. "This could definitely get interesting with you being here," he added, glancing at Jack before back at Rose.

"Why do you say that?" Jack asked, but he needn't have as it was at that moment that Rose was joined by none other than a man Jack could only describe as himself! "Uh Doc, what am I doing over there?" he asked, turning to the Doctor, who looked just as stunned by it.

"I don't think it's so much you as this universe's version of you," the Doctor answered without thinking as he watched Rose being swept around the dance floor. It broke his hearts to admit it, but she looked truly happy in the other Jack's arms. "We should go," he said, turning to the exit.

"Don't need to tell me twice," Martha replied, already smiling at the thought of leaving.

Jack looked over at him. "We can't."

The Doctor frowned. "Why not?"

"Cause she wants us to stay," he replied.

The Doctor shook his head. "Jack does she look like she wants us to stay?"

"Maybe not, but she asked that we did, and I don't plan on going anywhere till I find out what she wants to discuss," he told him crossing his arms.

"Aren't you worried he'll just leave you behind again?" Davey asked, causing the Doctor to glare at him.

"Fine, we stay, but only till the end of the reception," he replied, turning his glare on Jack.

Jack nodded. "Fine, as long as that's all the time Rosie needs."

"So close," Martha mumbled quietly enough so neither could hear as she looked longingly at the door.

**So, who liked the latest twist in the tale? Hope you guys enjoyed it, might be a couple weeks before this is updated again, though I'll post the first chapter of Spin Off (yes I've officially given up thinking of a different title for it) next week (reckon four posts this week is fair since one of my fave authors only put up one :p (which I plan to have BMQAed by tomorrow ish ;))) Anyways, let me know what you think. Kinda worried about how all the characters are (as in OOC or not) despite loving this chapter...but yeah, would love to know how you guys are finding it :)**


	6. Journalists, Offices & Fears, oh my!

**Hey guys, okay I'm not super happy with this chapter...sometimes I love it and others I hate it. But I can't seem to revise it, so I'm just going to post it and let the chips fall where they may and all...bearing in mind I'd just read Wooden Heart before writing this...hope you guys like it**

It took three songs before she could finally drag Jack off the dance floor.

"Aren't you pleased to see me?" he asked teasingly as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

She eyed him with an evil smile. "Mr I'll be back in time to get you out of it showing up at the reception?" she asked.

"Well you know aliens," he said shrugging.

She rolled her eyes. "You had a full house didn't you?" she asked.

"Oh you should have seen their faces when I threw it on the table!" he gushed before quickly correcting himself. "I mean, it was like a war zone out there Rosie! I was battling five, maybe six--"

"Yeah yeah, just don't go spending your winnings on me again, it's embarrassing!" she goaded him.

"Oh you know you love it," he replied, pulling her closer, before a frown crossed his face. "Funny, I don't recall buying a clone of myself though," he said, one hand already moving to a weapon, though Rose quickly put her hand over it to stop him.

"Jack, I'd like you to meet...Jack...and Martha...and the Doctor," she said softly, motioning to each of the three in turn.

Jack instinctively pulled Rose closer at the third name. "I thought--"

"Yeah, we all did. Look, we can't discuss the how's and whys here. That journalist Mr Tellall..." her voice trailed off with a groan. "Mr Tellall, it's so good you could stay for the reception."

The short man beamed at her as he held notepad and pen at the ready. "Oh how could I not after that delightful scene at the church?" he asked, and Rose could have sworn she saw 'Front Page' scroll across his eyes. "So is it true, Torchwood have mastered cloning?" he asked, looking between the two Jacks.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Of course not! And we have no intention of even trying," she added, knowing if she didn't there would be a comment somewhere in the story implying they were trying but had yet to do so succesfully.

"And this is the famous Doctor?" he asked, already going for another angle.

Rose sighed. "You of all people should know that is completely fictional," Rose stated as though bored of the subject, not daring to meet the Doctor's gaze. "Mr Tellall may I introduce Jack's twin, Captain John Harkness, and our very dear friend, Captain John Doctor. And of course you've already met Adeola Jones," she added. "As you can see, with all the Captains and Johns around, it's easier if we refer to them as Jack, Captain and the Doctor, so he's not confused with an actual Doctor...though as you can probably guess Davey's always been a huge fan of his, which is probably why he named the character for him."

"Quite," Mr Tellall said as though having just bitten into a lemon. "Well must be off, have to go chat to the dear wedding couple," he said, a very fake smile smearing across his face.

"Of course," Rose said with just as fake a smile. Soon as he was out of earshot she flicked her ear comm. "Mickey, new Martha is Adeola, old Jack is John and the Doctor is Captain John Doctor," she murmured.

"Gotcha," he replied a moment later, just before Mr Tellall reached him.

Hitting the piece off, she pouted at Jack. "Tell me why we can't retcon him again?"

"Ask your dad. Personally I just want to throw him off a cliff or something," Jack replied.

Captain Jack eyed the pair. "Why do you even allow journalists in?"

Rose glared at him. "Please don't show off and say you don't have to deal with them," she grumbled. Before he could respond though, both Jack and her wrist consoles beeped twice and a blue light flashed once. "Oh great," she said, glaring at Jack. "Won't be here for at least two weeks huh?"

"As far as their previous trips had signalled," he replied, sighing himself at yet another interruption. "How long do you think you'll be?"

Rose looked around the group. She knew it was better to go on her own, but leaving all this group unsupervised together? That was practically asking for more trouble!

"What sort of threat is it?" the Doctor asked as though reading her mind.

"The very annoying alien kind," she sighed.

Captain Jack grinned though. "Ooh, do we finally get to see you in action?" he asked.

And just like that Rose knew there was no way of getting any of them to stay, just as she also knew she was probably going to regret it - a lot - later.

"Nice office," he said as they entered her office fifteen minutes later.

"Jack!" Rose said disapprovingly.

Captain Jack frowned at her. "What I was just saying--"

"Not you, the other Jack," she told him.

"How come I have to be 'the other Jack'? How come he can't be?" the other Jack pouted.

Rose sighed, rolling her eyes. "Because I knew him first," she said giving him a cheeky grin. "Fine, Jack," she said turning to the one she'd known longer, "We're sticking with what I said to Mr Tellall - from now on you're Captain Jack or John, and Jack, you're just Jack," she told her boyfriend.

"How come...oh I guess that's fair considering I've been de--"

"Jack!" she said, glaring at him.

He gave her his most charming grin, and knew she was biting her cheek to stop herself doing the same. He winked, before grabbing the print out from the printer on her desk and sitting down in the spot all his hinting had been referring to, raising a brow in invitation.

Captain Jack watched as Rose blushed and turned back to her desk. He was definitely going to have to have words with himself - or at least his alternate self – later, and not all would be disapproving! But seeing as Rosie didn't seem keen to discuss it, and no doubt the Doctor would feel the same as soon as he clued on, decided it was best to bring the topic back to the one at hand. "So how does this work?"

Rose smiled at him gratefully, but it was Jack that spoke. "First off, we go through room roll call," he said, holding up the papers in his hand. "In order of threat we have one Jack Harkness, one Captain Jack Harkness--"

Captain Jack cut him off with a laugh. "And how do you figure you're the bigger threat?" he challenged himself.

Jack smiled. "Cause that's what it says on here. It can only tell the difference between us by number of weapons, and I know how many I'm packing," he replied, giving himself a cheeky grin before turning back to the paper, giving a soft chuckle before speaking. "One unknown with a heart murmur," he said looking over at the Doctor.

"Unknown and a heart murmur?" the Doctor repeated. "Blimey, not the most polite of machines is it?" he asked, trying not to scowl.

"It doesn't actually say 'Unknown'," Rose told him reassuringly as she sat on the edge of her desk, looking over at Jack, giving him a stern look and raised brow.

He sighed. "It should just say unknown," he grumbled. As Rose continued to stare at him, he sighed again. "Fine! One friend you haven't met yet with a heart murmur," he said, pulling up his nose as he turned back to the Doctor. "Happy?"

There was no need to ask though, the huge grin on the Doctor's face was answer enough as he beamed over at Rose who just winked at him.

"Anyway, we also have...ooh bad luck Martha! One human with an ear infection!"

"Not again," she grumbled.

The Doctor shook his head. "You really need to start taking better care of your ears Martha," he told her sternly, though his grin belied his tone, causing her to just roll her eyes as she felt her ears.

"And bringing up the rear is one Rose Tyler," Jack finished before dropping the papers onto the couch beside him.

"Didn't think you would be the least threatening one, Rosie" Captain Jack said, raising an amused brow at her.

She rolled her eyes at him. "As it's my office, I'm not on the list. But someone just gets an ego boost thinking he's the toughest just 'cause he has the most weapons tucked away," she told him.

"Better than being unarmed," he replied as he looked over at the Doctor.

"Anyway," Rose spoke up, feeling a testosterone battle building. "I still say I should just do this alone," she said, eyeing the three men, hoping they'd just agree.

"Not a chance," the Doctor was the first to respond.

"And let you have all the fun?" came Captain Jack's quip.

"And no way am I leaving you alone with these two!" Jack replied.

She sighed, raking her hands through her hair before placing them back on her desk either side of her. "Fine, simple rules – keep your minds to yourself. Think happy thoughts and if you feel like someone's pressing in, imagine slamming a door, tends to push it back. Soon as we're in, we send it on its way and hope it's a long, long time before it comes back this way," she said all in one breath.

"You've come across it before?" Captain Jack asked.

She nodded softly. "It comes by this way every so often. We've isolated its pick up scoop to just this office since blocking it out completely doesn't seem possible...well not with what we know anyway," she added, looking up at the Doctor hopefully.

"What happens when you're picked up?" he asked, the sad look in her eyes not going past his notice.

"It uh...finds it's way into your head, finds your worst fears and puts you through them. If we can block it out it only takes about five minutes for it to tire and let us in, but if it succeeds? Can be going through the scenario for anything up to an hour."

"Two," Jack replied, his face void of all his previous emotions as he moved to sit beside her.

She gave a small smile as she took his hand in hers, squeezing it reassuringly. "Just don't let it in," she told him softly, before she grinned, "and if you do, don't think of the Doctor," she added, poking her tongue out at him.

He glared back. "Bit below the belt there," he grumbled.

She giggled softly. "Oh come on," she turned to the two men in front of her. "You should have seen what he thought you looked like, it was hilarious!"

The Doctor was tempted to ask why a form of him that apparently didn't look like him had been there, but hesitated when Rose shook her head ever so slightly before wrapping her arms around Jack's arm. She wasn't telling the story to embarrass him, but to draw him away from whatever fears had been tapped into during the two hours. As she leaned forward and kissed Jack's cheek, whispering something in his ear that caused him to smile once more, the Doctor realised he was going to have to keep a firm grip on his own mind as some fears he hadn't even realised he had started to surface.

Captain Jack cleared his throat slightly to draw the pair out of their romantic moment. "Sorry, just wondering why you refer to it as an it?" he asked.

Rose nodded understandingly. "As far as I've been able to explore, it's just a spaceship set adrift, no signs of life inside."

"Yeah, a spaceship with a twisted hard drive," Jack grumbled, though he grinned down at Rose as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

The Doctor felt a tingling sensation and saw Rose tense up. Apparently it was pick up time. Glancing over at Captain Jack, he smiled at the man who grinned back at him, before turning to Martha. He frowned as he watched her pulling on her ear and he was suddenly worried he'd made the wrong choice forcing his group on Rose. And then they were in a forest that looked all too familiar.

Rose clenched her jaw as she turned to face the Doctor and Martha. "I thought I said keep your minds to yourself! If I recall, think happy thoughts was in there too oh and even a 'if you feel like someone's pressing in, imagine slamming a door'," she seethed.

"Rose, it doesn't look so bad here. Maybe it's just their happy thought?" Jack tried reassuring her as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

The Doctor bit his lip as he glanced over at Martha who was looking very guilty.

For her part, she did feel horrible because she'd been so focused on her ear a few moments earlier that none of Rose's instructions were ringing any bells.

Rose continued to glare at the pair a moment longer before turning to Jack. "You know, I'd almost believe that...you know, if it weren't for that lovely monster looking thing over there," she said, pointing to a distance not far from them.

They all turned to look, the two Jack's wide-eyed while the Doctor groaned. Martha felt more than a little de ja vuy.

_If you put a dragon and a spider in a blender, she decided, and then gave the result to Dracula as a pet...That would be the result. It had an emaciated, lizard-like face and body, and huge bat wings, though the skin between the bones was tattered and grey. Its legs tapped against the ground when it paused, as if it were feeling its way towards its prey. Arched above its head was a great spiked tail._

"It's the one from--" she stuttered out, but the Doctor quickly cut her off.

"I told you right from the start that you could never replace Rose. She would never do something this novice," he seethed, before turning to Rose and grabbing her hand. "Come on Rose," he said with a charming smile before dragging her behind him as he ran away from the creature.

For a stunned moment Rose let herself be dragged from Jack's grasp, before she cursed under her breath, realisation sweeping over her. "Jack, slap Martha! This is all her fears, you need to get her to snap out of it!" she yelled as the Doctor pulled her along faster, seeming to notice his companion's yelling was drawing the creature towards them.

They weren't even that far away when he suddenly stopped and pulled her into his arms, beaming down at her with a look she'd longed to see for so long. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying desperately not react to it. "Doctor, I need you right now. This isn't you, it's taken over, I need you to snap out of it!" she yelled at him, aware the creature was getting ever closer as he just continued to stare at her with a goofy grin.

Meanwhile Jack had grabbed Martha's arm, spinning her away from the interlocked pair, trying to avoid looking at them himself. Grateful that Rose had told him to, he slapped her, watching her blink a few times in shock before speaking. "Martha, this isn't real! You heard Rose, close your mind to this, you can't think about your fears right now! I mean if I let mine out..." he trailed off, suddenly feeling like he'd left the back door of his spaceship wide open. "Shit!" he exclaimed, before letting go of Martha and running as fast as he could. "Rose!" he yelled out as he began drawing weapons and taking aim at the creature.

Captain Jack was rooted to the spot, no one having noticed he was starting to face one of his own fears that he had to live with on a regular basis – having to watch those he cared about die in front of him. He watched in horror as Rose spun out of the Doctor's grasp as she turned to face the creature that even now was being ripped apart by the rounds Jack was laying into it, but it seemed to have eyes for only one target as it's tail raised high in the air, piercing through Rose's stomach and slamming her onto her back as it struck deep into the ground. The creature fell to the ground shortly after, not having been able to survive the attack it had just endured.

Snapped out of whatever spell had been put over him, the Doctor collapsed on his knees at Rose's side, tears already forming in his eyes. "Oh Rose, you can't die!" was all he managed to croak out, feeling as though her death were completely his fault as he held her hand, daring not to try move her lest he cause her more pain.

Jack was at her other side, trying to force the spike out of her as he watched her watching the Doctor, her body already going into shock.

There was so much she wanted to say, but the blood gurgling up her throat prevented any of it, and then all went black.

Martha stood by Captain Jack, who she'd managed to drag along to stand next to the creature, only a few feet away from the grieving pair.

Captain Jack felt tears trailing down his cheeks as he stared at the blood stained form of one of his best friends. How had he let this happen? Why didn't he react faster?

The Doctor was mumbling incoherently in Galleyfreyian, pleading, begging with Rose not to die, even though her limp form and the loss of heart beat in her hand were signs that it was too late for that.

Jack watched on as the cold stare of death filled her eyes once more, but this time they weren't aimed at him, but the Doctor. His two greatest fears colliding into one. The thought snapped him out of his grief as he clenched his jaw and forced himself to stand. "That's it, let us in right now," he bellowed, looking around the forest they were in, causing Martha and Captain Jack to look at him in alarm, though the Doctor's gaze never left Rose. "Jack, help me get him away from her," he ordered his other self as he moved round to the Doctor.

Captain Jack was so stunned by it that he did exactly as he was told, unable to meet the Doctor's blazing eyes as the pair exuded all the force they had to drag him away from Rose's form.

Martha looked between the body and the three men in horror.

"Martha, move!" Jack yelled at her, causing her to jump as she followed them.

The Doctor was still trying to pull away from the pair, thrashing and swearing as he tried in vain to fight his way back to her.

In the end Jack forced him to the ground and knelt heavily on his chest, pushing most of the air out in the process. "Rose tells me that you can live a bit longer without oxygen than the rest of us, but let's not test exactly how long today alright?" he growled.

The Doctor glared, his knuckles white from being clenched in such tight fists. But he knew Jack could be as stubborn as an ox, and he doubted this one would be any less.

Watching the Doctor lay still, Jack gave a thankful nod, though stayed put just in case. "Right, this is just a scenario, just putting our worst fears into reality. Now if we all concentrate, close our minds, we can get the hell out of here," he told the group sternly.

"But Rose is dead!" Martha exclaimed as though he hadn't noticed.

"Not helping!" he roared back, his jaw working frantically as he forced himself not to look over to her, to run and hold her as he had last time he'd been faced with her death. "Rose is fine, as soon as we get out the scenario, she'll be fine. She'll be pissed off, but..."

"Fine?" Captain Jack offered, a small smile tugging at his lips at his other self's lack for words, the loss of Rose already slipping away as he closed his mind to the scenario.

Jack glared at his other self for a moment, before smiling too as he nodded. "Yeah."

"You can't be serious!" Martha spoke as though the pair had gone insane.

Jack glared over at her for a moment before turning to the Doctor. "She's your companion, you explain," he said as he climbed off the Doctor, realising a moment late that he hadn't checked the Doctor understood before he did so.

But of course the Doctor did now that it had been pointed out to him, he'd just been too caught up by emotion to see reason before. He looked at Martha as she looked between him and the body. "Stop looking at it Martha, it's not real," he told her firmly, having difficulty forcing himself not to look. "Relax, we're all safe...oh let's just do it the quick way," he sighed, putting his hands on her temples and forcefully closing the door to her mind, causing her to jump in fright.

But as soon as it was done the area they were in changed to that of the interior of a spaceship.

There were a few short coughs behind them, but as they turned to look round, Rose was already jumping to her feet. The smile the Doctor might have expected wasn't there, instead a deep scowl crossed her face as she marched towards the door on the other side of them. He stood in her path, trying to meet her gaze, but she refused to, instead looking over at Martha.

"She's your companion, you deal with her," her voice was venomous as she practically spat the words out before making her way round him and to the door, where it was clear her fury only grew as she waited for it to open.

Martha glared at her back as she stood beside the Doctor. "She makes it sound as though it were all my fault," she grumbled to him, hoping for some sympathy and possibly a hug.

He sighed before meeting her gaze, forcing his face into a neutral expression. "That's because, to an extent, it was," he told her, not surprised at her look of shock and annoyance. "Martha only you and I have ever seen that forest or that monster. Your mind was still wide open when we arrived and that's what that scenario used first...though I think as it progressed we all had a few demons come out," he added, glancing over at the two Jack's who both watched Rose.

Jack looked over at him then, clenching his jaw slightly as he knew the Doctor knew it was his fear that had gotten her killed. "Told you she'd be pissed," he said as though to try lighten the mood.

The door finally began to open and Rose stormed through it, not caring that the others weren't right behind but some distance as she stormed to the 'leader' onboard.

"Ah Miss Tyler, it has been some time since you displayed that particular--"

His words were cut off as she sent a fierce right hook at him, sending him crashing to the floor. "I told you never to use that again. Why should I spare your ship now?" she asked well aware the others had seen her display.

"I thought you said there were no life forms onboard," Martha said, glad she remembered something of what Rose had said.

"There aren't," Rose replied without looking back at her as she continued to glare at the form that was rising from the floor. "Just an illusion like everything else."

Jack slowly walked up behind her, standing directly behind without actually touching her. It was only as she gave a small nod that he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her as close as physically possible. "I'm so sorry," he murmured as he ran his hand up and down her arm.

She just nodded again. She knew there would be discussions between them later. A pandora's box had been opened between them once more thanks to Martha's foolish actions. She couldn't blame Martha entirely though. She had been the one not to look at Jack in those final moments, to only have eyes for the Doctor. For all his bravado, she had known since before she had finally decided to date Jack that he was extremely jealous to the point of insecure when it came to the Doctor, she hadn't needed to see his version of the Doctor to know that. Still, she felt completely wrecked. Dying in the scenario always did that. She turned in his arms to wrap hers around his waist tightly, letting her head rest on his shoulder. It was only then that she spotted the Doctor watching her with a forlorn expression. She would have to apologise to him later too. Why hadn't she listened to her gut and just refused the others entry to her office?

Pulling away from Jack slowly, she kissed him softly on the lips, letting her hand run down his chest before stepping away. As she turned, the first person she saw was the other Jack. His eyes brimmed with tears, though she could tell he'd already been crying earlier by the trails down his cheeks. She gave him a soft smile as she walked over and engulfed him in a hug.

"I'm sorry," he murmured into her shoulder.

She frowned. "What for?"

"I couldn't save you," he mumbled.

She couldn't help but give a soft chuckle. "It's alright. If I recall there were a few others in there that didn't manage it either, myself included," she added, grateful to get a soft laugh out of him in return. "Seriously, the amount of times I've died in there, it's almost second nature...though do you have any idea how painful it is coming back from the dead?"

He gave her a wicked grin. "You know, I just might," he said gently.

She eyed him, half glaring as he just continued to grin. In the end she decided she'd have to discuss that one later, now was just time for cheering up. "So, I've been meaning to ask – how is it you seem so much older and wiser than the Jack I've got over there but managed to keep your youthful good looks?" she asked, loud enough for Jack to hear.

"Oy!" he protested though he too was grinning now, just happy seeing her happy...even if it were slightly bizarre watching her as though she were in his own arms.

Captain Jack just beamed. "Oh you know, I just get better with age. Kinda like a fine wine," he told her as he kissed the top of her head.

"Or a smelly cheese," Jack added before frowning. "Hang on...did I just insult myself?"

"Yes," the pair chorused back to him laughing, before Captain Jack nudged her in the direction of the Doctor.

She glared softly at him. "What is this, pass the parcel?" she mumbled so only he could hear, earning herself a smack on the butt as she walked away, causing her to glare over her shoulder at him and another 'Oy' from Jack.

Tucking her thumbs into her belt straps, she suddenly felt very nervous facing the Time Lord. If it had been any other time she would have even laughed at herself for referring to him as that rather than just the Doctor, but suddenly she felt like a disobedient child having to apologise to her teacher.

"Oh just hug already," Jack said in exasperation despite all the inner turmoil pumping through him.

The pair gave embarrassed laughs before moving into an awkward hug, which almost automatically changed as their arms wrapped around each other, arms tightening instinctively.

"I'm sorry," Rose murmured into his ear.

"Me too," he murmured back.

She couldn't help but grin. The inevitable 'what for's would apparently be waiting till later. "Tell her I say sorry too," she whispered.

"And why can't you?" he asked quietly.

She sighed, hoping he wouldn't have picked up on that quite so quickly. "'cause I'm not sure I am yet."

"Well how bout we sit on that apology till you are then," he replied, finally pulling away from her as he beamed down at her.

No judgement, no forcing her to do it. God she loved this man!

"So, what exactly are you lot then?" he asked, pulling away completely as he turned to the aliens that had stood idly by during these exchanges, putting on his glasses.

"We only deal with Miss Tyler," the 'leader' said firmly.

"Not today you don't," the Doctor replied as he made his way over to one of the control panels, pointing his sonic screwdriver at it. "Well well well, I thought you were just the stuff of fairy tales, horrible cruel fairy tales, but fairy tales all the same," he murmured as screen upon screen flashed before him.

"Did I mention I hate fairies?" Captain Jack asked, thinking of Estelle.

"Really?" Jack asked him, frowning. It was the first time he hadn't been able to hold his own gaze before looking to the floor, worried by what he'd seen in the other Jack's eyes. And the first noticeable difference between the pair.

"Fairies aside," the Doctor spoke, bringing both back to the present. "There was once a story of a planet that sent out ships like this...well did exactly what this one does. Some would harvest worst fears, others greatest dreams. Some even just messed with people's emotions, making you feel in love with your worst enemy, or suddenly have super powers...anyway all it really was was an expensive imitation of the Game Station," he finished, looking at Rose.

"You mean, this ship...is for someone else's entertainment?" she asked, anger surging through her once more.

"Was, yes," he said, with an evil grin.

As if on cue the illusions of aliens shuddered. "What have you done?" screeched the leader.

"Oh you know, just redirected your scoop fields," he told them tugging on his ear. "Apparently you had your entire network connected, so it's not just this one ship that will be visiting your own planet, but all of them. Happy viewing," he said with a grin before the ship transported them back to Rose's office once more.

"They're really going to put there own planet through what they've put us through?" Jack asked in amazement.

"Well...for about six months. Long enough for every viewer to experience every channel...and then they'll automatically shut down...thought it only fair," he trailed off, trying to keep his gaze away from Rose now that he remembered the company they were in.

Rose nodded softly. "Right well...I guess we should get back to the reception," she paused, glancing at her computer. "Pete'll be wanting a full report on the latest adventure," she sighed, quickly sitting at her desk and loading it up.

"He'd want a report at the reception?" Captain Jack asked, raising a brow.

Rose grinned, rolling her eyes. "No, but he'll want it first thing Monday morning."

"Rosie's not allowed at work tomorrow...or Monday morning," Jack clarified for the others.

She just glared at him in return, though kept typing.

Captain Jack couldn't help but laugh. "What, you've been suspended or something?" he asked, still chuckling.

Her glare moved from Jack to Captain Jack. "And here I thought you two were different," she told him, rolling her eyes. "I have a restriction on how many hours I'm allowed to work each week. Apparently left to my own devices I work too much," she added, pouting slightly as she typed the final comments and attached it to an email to Pete.

"You? Work too much? Was a mission just getting you out of bed before noon!" the Doctor teased.

"Oh I wish I could get her to stay in bed till noon!" Jack replied without thinking, causing Rose to blush and the smile to fade from the Doctor's face.

"So what's the restriction?" Captain Jack asked, hoping to get over the awkwardness as quickly as possible.

"70," she replied, getting up.

"60!" Jack corrected with a stern look.

She rolled her eyes, before turning back to Captain Jack. "60 with full resources, and I can play back up for 10," she clarified.

"Two weeks breaking it in a row, and we're putting our foot down," Jack grinned.

She raised a brow at him. "How are you putting your foot down? Pete's in charge, Mickey's taking care of withholding my IT and mum's banned you from staying at the house after the stories you told Davey last time. The only place your foot is going down is in your spaceship!" she retorted. Realising the comments he was about to make about that statement, she quickly added, "So, back to the reception then. They'll be cutting the cake in a minute!"

**So what did you think? Reviews for this one appreciated even more so than usual just cos I'm feeling finicky about it. Thanks heaps in advance!!**


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